One in five women attend A&E in first year after giving birth, analysis finds

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Research analysis in England found that 21% of women who gave birth attended emergency departments within the first year postpartum, with 6% requiring hospital admission. The study highlights health inequalities and stresses the need for improved maternity and community care to reduce avoidable visits.

A fifth of women in England who gave birth attended a hospital emergency department in the following year, an analysis has found.Researchers at the Nuffield Trust think tank analysed almost 1.6 million births by 1.5 million mothers between April 2021 and March 2024 to examine when and why women needed emergency care after birth. They found that 21% of deliveries (332 467 of 1 572 934) were followed by at least one visit to an accident and emergency (A&E) department and that 6% (98 698) were followed by an emergency admission to hospital.1The authors said the findings revealed deep inequalities and suggested that some of the visits might have been avoidable with better community and preventive care.“Addressing the failings in maternity care identified in recent reviews must be a priority for the NHS. Alongside this, strategies to improve the health of girls and women are a vital complement for improving...